10 Tips on Growing Violas will help you add these petite flowering plants to your garden with their charming and colorful blooms. Viola plants add a touch of elegance to any garden space, whether planted in flower beds, rock gardens, containers, or edging plants.
10 Tips on Growing Violas
If you want more ideas on growing flowers, 35 Best Cottage Flowers to Grow and Secrets to Growing Roses will help you on your gardening journey.
The viola plant typically has kidney or heart-shaped leaves with delicate flowers. It likes moist soil and is a favorite among garden plants. Viola flowers look great in front of the border of your garden. Their colorful flowers add interest to any landscape design.
Violas make a great ground cover for shade gardens or rock gardens. They also look beautiful under shrubs like roses. Because of their versatility, they are one of my favorite flowers.
There are between 525 and 600 different species of violas. The viola cornuta is also known as the horned violet or the horned pansy.
Why Should You Grow the Viola Flower?
- Viola plants are easy to grow
- Edible flowers – they look beautiful in salads and cooking
- They come in a wide variety of colors
- Plant viola plants in front of leggy plants
- They look great in patio containers
Where Can You Plant Viola Flowers?
- Window boxes: Brighten up your windowsills by adding violas to your window boxes. Their compact size makes a perfect addition to your window box.
- Edging: You can plant viola flowers to line a garden path, along a garden border, or even to line your vegetable garden.
- Containers: Viola plants are perfect for container gardening. Plant them in pots or hanging baskets to create a charming display on patios, balconies, or porches.
- Rock gardens: Violas thrive in rock gardens because they thrive in well-draining soil. Plant them among the rocks to add color to your rock garden.
- Under trees: The viola plant can bring life to your garden’s shaded areas with its cheerful blooms.
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10 Tips to Growing Violas
1. Choosing Varieties of the Viola Plant
You want to pick the suitable viola species that is well-suited for your climate and growing conditions. Visit your local garden center or garden club to find the best types of violas to grow. Viola plants are perennials, but they are short-lived perennials. They will have to be replaced after a few years.
2. Preparing the Soil
Violas prefer well-drained soil, with a pH level between 6.0 and 7.5. To improve drainage, mix organic matter or compost into the soil before planting.
3. Sunlight
You’ll want at least 4-6 hours of sunlight daily for violas. They grow best in partial shade to full sun. You want to ensure they get enough sun exposure, but protect them from the hottest part of the afternoon in warmer climates.
4. Watering
Violas require regular watering, especially during dry periods. Water them deeply and avoid getting the leaves wet to prevent fungal disease. When they get too much moisture, they can develop a gray mold on their leaves.
5. Fertilize
Feed violas a balanced fertilizer every two to three weeks during the growing season. Fertilizing your plants will encourage healthy growth and blooming. Viola plants are considered heavy feeders and will suffer if not properly fed and provided organic material around their base.
6. Mulching
Adding mulch around the base of the plants will help retain moisture and suppress weeds. Use an organic mulch like shredded leaves or bark chips.
7. Deadheading
Removing spent blooms regularly will encourage new blooms and prevent seed formation, keeping your flowers blooming for longer.
You can revive overgrown plants by cutting them back to 4 inches tall.
8. Pinching
Pinching is the process of removing the top growth of the viola plant to promote bushier growth. Before starting, you’ll want to wait until the viola plant reaches 4 inches in height.
9. Overwintering
The viola genus is cold-tolerant and can survive mild winters. Cover the plants with mulch in areas with severe temperatures, to protect them in the winter months.
10. Collecting Seeds
To propagate your viola plants, allow the flowers to fade and dry on the plant. As the seeds mature, they will become brown and papery. Carefully remove the seed pods from the plant after ensuring they are dry before harvesting.
Split open the seed pods and collect the tiny dark seeds. Place the seeds in an envelope or container and store them in a cool, dark place.
Collecting and sowing seeds from the viola allows you to perpetuate your favorite varieties and expand your garden.
How to Buy Viola Plants
Viola plants are available in spring at garden centers. They are usually available in six-packs or small 4-inch pots. You want to look for plants with healthy leaves. Buying the plants with only a few buds and flowers is best.
You can also buy your viola seeds in winter and start them indoors.
When to Plant Violas Outside
The ideal time to plant violas outside is early spring or fall when temperatures are mild. Viola plants are cool-seasoned flowers that thrive in cooler weather and withstand a light frost.
In spring, you can plant violas as soon as you can work the soil and the threat of frost has passed. Planting during this time will allow them to establish their roots before the summer heat.
In fall, plant violas six to eight weeks before the first expected frost date. Early fall planting will give them enough time to establish before cold weather sets in.
By planting violas in spring and fall, you provide them with the best conditions for growth, bloom, and flourishing throughout the season.
Viola Pest Control
Aphids are the enemy of the viola plant. Check the top of the viola shoots for small red, gray, or green insects. If you see them, you can spray the violas with insecticidal soap.
Do Violas Bloom all Summer?
Viola flowers are known for their extended blooming season. Their peak blooming season is in the cooler months of spring, early summer, and fall. Violas might pause their blooms during the late summer heat in hotter climates. In late fall, they may bloom again. They thrive in cooler temperatures.
Do Violas Grow in the Wild?
Violas do have wild species. These small plants grow wild primarily in the Central and Eastern United States and Canada, where they are beautiful spring flowers and edible. You can find wild violets in cool spring temperatures.
The Viola odorata is a flowering plant in the genus Viola. This hardy violet is found in the woods of Europe and Asia.
With proper care, your violas will add pops of color to your flower garden that you’ll love.
We’ve reached the end of 10 Tips to Growing Viola Flowers. I hope you enjoyed it!
Let me know in the comments below what your favorite viola plant is.
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